I'm Lucifer's Wife

7

The Announcement (Part 1)

"Good mor---"

"Where's mom and dad?!" I cut the greetings  of the maid that opened the door for me. I need answers. Now.

I look at her dangerously. Giving her the idea that I'm not in the mood for anything. Hell. I'm really not. Ever since I read that article and opened my phone, various calls and messages arrived all at once. And it left me with no choice but to turn it off again. I even had a hard time escaping the press that was currently waiting for me outside the school. I already have a field day for this morning. And it already had my patience in its limit.

"M-madam is in the study room---" the moment I heard it, I rushed up stairs leaving one trembling maid with my things.

Questions flood my head with every step I take and with every passing minute I wait to get there. Hell. Who did the design of this house and placed the main study room at the 4th floor?

When I reached the fourth floor, I didn't mind if there was anyone else in there. Or it was out of courtesy and manners. Hell about those stuffs. I barge inside the room with a loud shout as greeting.

"Ma!" I saw her flinched from her seat as I came to her with angry steps.

"W-what is it princess?" I can hear the tremble in her words. "Any problem?"

'Problem, Ma? I got one. A big one.' I thought mentally. 'And you'll have yours too.'

"What the hell is that engagement is all about?!"

I thought she'll tremble instead, she smiled at me. "So you've read it already."

"Obviously." Can't she state the obvious? I won't be here angry as a bull if not.

"Well, you read it right. You're about to be married." she said happily. Too much happy for my taste.

"Hell no Ma! I won't!"

"But princess, it was already planned. Right after you were born."

Arrange Marriage? Fuck that. That's so old school. Though at the back of my mind, it's not that impossible in the society that we belong in. In truth, I've expected that at some point it will happen to me, but since after my debut and nothing was heard about it, I relax. I've been complacent since nothing happened. I thought that they won't do something like that to me. Not until now.

"Ma! I want to have my freedom and I hardly know whoever that guy is!" I protested.

"Princess," she sighed. "As you can see, like what we've talked about with your tita Em, you're our only daughter and you're not getting any younger, dear. You're already 24 and a successful woman at a young age."

"So?"

"Your dad and I are getting old. And we both want to see you happy and secured with your family just before we leave this world."

"Don't be OA, Ma. You and dad are as strong as any wild animal." I snorted.

"And we wanted to make sure that you will have a family."

I sighed. "I want to have one also. But in my time!" I can't help but raise my voice. "As of now, I want to live my life the way I wanted it to be even just before I choose to settle down."

"Seraphim Allison! And when do you plan that to happen?!" I covered my ears. Geez. Does she really have to shout that loud? "We let you do things on your own and now what? With all the men you've turned down? I don't think you can."

"I can."

She shook her head. "No you can't." she sighed again. "Look, we know you princess. And with that knowledge; we figured out that this is the best for you."

"I can decide on my own."

"You can." she smiled at me. That smile that all mothers are capable of, telling me she understands.  But, for me, not fully. "You always do decisions. Ang problema lang, mas ginagamit mo ang utak mo at inisasantabi mo ang sinasabi ng puso mo."

I look at her quizzically. What does she really mean? "Huh?"

She smiled weakly. "I'm your mother, Allison. And I know what's inside that cold, stubborn heart of yours."

"What do you mean by that?!" seriously? May alam ba siya?

"I know the reason why you constantly reject and refuse all those men." she stopped and leaned forward. "Because," then she pointed at my chest where the heart is located. "That heart of yours is already with someone else."

If I was shock is an understatement. But I didn't let her know about it. I didn't let anything out. Because obviously, she knows something and I'm afraid it would not help me but instead, it would only worsen everything.

"A-anong ibig mong sabihin Ma?" Dang. And here I am stammering.

She smiled wickedly. And I know for a fact that that smile won't bring any good to me. And I'm right with what she said next, "You're still in love with him but you just keep ignoring it."

And it was all needed to stop this mouth of mine.